United Arab Emirates: Like 9/11: According to investigators, the thwarted Flydubai crash was a planned suicide attack with a clear goal
Investigators believe that the co-pilot of flight FZ1073 was inspired by the 9/11 attacks and chose Ben Gurion Airport as his destination.
Quick Look
- The co-pilot of a Flydubai flight attempted to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport, according to UAE investigators.
- The 9/11-inspired attack was thwarted by the intervention of the crew and passengers; the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The co-pilot attacked the captain, resulting in a massive loss of altitude before the crew intervened. The perpetrator had previously been released in Oman because of radical views.
The Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates is certain: the co-pilot of flight FZ1073 was inspired by the 9/11 attacks. The investigators also believe they know the target he had in mind.
According to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the foiled crash of a Flydubai passenger plane on the way to Tel Aviv at the end of September was planned as a suicide attack. The co-pilot from Oman intended to steer the plane into a terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, the UAE attorney general told the WAM news agency on Friday. The plan was inspired by the attacks in the USA on September 11, 2001.
Investigations revealed that the co-pilot had used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the flight route and the airport, it said. The man moved to Flydubai in January 2026 and had previously worked for Oman Air, among others.
In the incident, the co-pilot of flight FZ1073 attacked the Indian captain with a knife, causing the jet to plunge almost 4,300 meters in 30 seconds. According to the information, the injured captain managed to unlock the cockpit door. Passengers and crew members then forced their way in and overpowered the attacker.
A second pair of pilots who happened to be on board then landed the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. There were 174 people on board, mostly Israelis. Both pilots were taken to hospital. In response to the incident, Israel wants to tighten controls on foreign pilots.
US media, including the ABC television station, had previously reported that the man wanted to crash the plane into Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. ABC cited two senior US officials and an Israeli source familiar with the investigation.
The radio station NPR has similar information from an ongoing investigation into the incident. It is assumed that the co-pilot probably acted alone, NPR quotes a source familiar with the matter.
The US broadcaster CNN also reports that the suspected attacker was probably targeting Ben Gurion Airport. He relies on an Israeli official and an Israeli source familiar with the matter.
Accordingly, the United Arab Emirates, which has initiated investigations, is keeping Israel informed about the status of the investigations.
US media reported a few days ago that the co-pilot had been fired from his previous job at an airline in Oman due to safety concerns. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, wrote that the man had previously been banned from flying by Oman. The reason for this was the fear that he had radical ideological views. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he was indoctrinated into Islam.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Israel tightens controls for foreign pilots.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- How could the perpetrator be hired at Flydubai despite safety concerns?
- What specific security measures is Israel now planning?
